15 April 2025
As influenza cases and deaths rise sharply in the ACT, the Immunisation Coalition (IC) is urging Canberrans to protect themselves ahead of the winter flu season by registering for the city’s first-ever FREE Flu Vaccination Day, taking place on 30 April at Albert Hall.
This initiative offers free influenza vaccinations for adults aged 18 to 64 years who are not otherwise eligible under the National Immunisation Program.
A Rising Threat in the ACT
As of the end of Q1 2025, the ACT recorded 590 laboratory-confirmed flu cases—a 40.1% increase compared to the 421 cases reported in Q1 20241. As of 14 April 2025, the ACT has recorded 661 laboratory-confirmed flu cases this year — already surpassing the 507 cases reported from January to the end of April 20241. Furthermore, the total number of flu cases in 2024 vs 2023 jumped 16% to 4,813 and more than doubled compared to 20221.
According to the ACT Respiratory Illness Surveillance Report 2024, the highest incidence of influenza was among adults aged 20 to 64 years2—a group often not eligible for free influenza vaccination under the National Immunisation Program (NIP). This is exactly the group the Immunisation Coalition is targeting through Canberra’s FREE Flu Vaccination Day, offering free flu vaccines to adults aged 18 to 64 years who are otherwise left unprotected. Experts warn that if flu vaccination rates follow the downward national trend seen in 20243, the 2025 flu season could again be severe.
Alarmingly, flu-related deaths in the ACT rose by 50% — from 8 in 2023 to 12 in 20244. This is a greater increase than that recorded in Queensland (+42.5%) and Western Australia (+36.4%)4, having reported low vaccination rates3. South Australia and the Northern Territory, by contrast, saw a decrease in flu deaths4 while experiencing a smaller decline in vaccination coverage than Queensland and Western Australia3.
“Vaccines don’t just save lives—they protect economies and ease the burden on our health system,” says Gary Grohmann, Director at the Immunisation Coalition and consultant virologist. “We’ve seen what happens when vaccination falters: hospitalisations rise, preventable deaths occur, and outbreaks return. The best time to act is before the flu season peaks—and that time is now.”
To address the cost barrier of getting a flu vaccine, the IC is also hosting the city’s first-ever FREE Flu Vaccination Day, taking place on 30 April at Albert Hall. A FREE Flu Vaccination Day is also being hosted in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney, on Tuesday 29 April, the day before the Canberra event.
2025 Free Flu Vaccination Day Details:
- Albert Hall, Canberra
- 30 April 2025
- Free flu vaccinations for adults aged 18–64 years
- No Medicare card required
- Register now: https://portal.arrotex.com.au/event/sessions?id=Immunisation_Coalition_Vaccination_Event1723727327
The IC’s FREE Flu Vaccination Day is strategically scheduled at the end of April to ensure optimal protection throughout Australia’s influenza season. In Australia, flu activity typically peaks around July, with August often experiencing the highest number of cases5. Since the vaccine’s effectiveness is strongest within the first 3 to 4 months after administration, receiving the flu shot in late April or early May provides the best protection during these peak months and reduce the risk of severe illness5.
“We know that cost can be a barrier, and our aim is to remove it for this age group as most do not qualify for free flu vaccination under the National Immunisation Program,” says Dr Andrew Minton, CEO of the Immunisation Coalition. “We need to protect all Australians and communicate that flu is a serious disease that can infect anyone at any time. April and May are the optimal months to be vaccinated leading into the flu season”.
For more information and to book your free vaccination, visit: https://www.immunisationcoalition.org.au/events/canberra-vaccination-day/
References:
- Australian Government Department of Health. (n.d.). National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System Dashboard. Retrieved April 9, 2025, from https://nindss.health.gov.au/pbi-dashboard/
- ACT Health. (2024). Annual ACT Respiratory Illness Surveillance Report 2024. ACT Government. https://www.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0006/2785308/ACT-Respiratory-Illness-Surveillance-Report-2024.pdf
- Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. (2024, October 9). Influenza (flu) immunisation data – 1 March to 6 October – 2021–2024. https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-10/influenza-flu-immunisation-data-1-march-to-6-october-2021-2024.pdf
- Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2025, February 28). Deaths due to COVID-19, influenza and RSV in Australia—2022–January 2025. https://www.abs.gov.au/articles/deaths-due-covid-19-influenza-and-rsv-australia-2022-january-2025
- Queensland Health. (2025, March 24). Queensland Health 2025 Influenza vaccination advice. https://www.health.qld.gov.au/clinical-practice/guidelines-procedures/diseases-infection/immunisation/service-providers/influenza